Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Most Majestic Castles in the World

In medieval
times, castles were built as homes and fortress of a noble and monarch.
Did you know that the earliest castles were built from wood? By the 12th
century, the majority of castles
were built from stone. On this time, these structures serve as
fortified and defensible homes of a member of the feudal nobility.
Castles could supervise the surrounding territory and make sure it sees
advances of any invasion attempts.

Here I have compiled some of the most majestic castles in the world. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island located on the border between
Normandy and Brittany. This majestic castle is one of the first sites to
obtain UNESCO World Heritage listing.

Neuschwanstein-Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Bavarian palace
on a rocky hill in Bavaria, Germany. The design of this castle is well
in its decorated; from the round arched portals, the arcade windows and
towers to the placement of columns and its bay windows and pinnacles.

Matsumoto-Castle

Matsumoto Castle is one of the 4 castles in Japan to be listed as
national treasures. Next to Himeji-jo, Matsumoto-jo, this was the next
best existing castle donjon in Japan.

Castle-Coca

Castle of Coca was built in the 15th century for Archbishop Alonso de
Fonseca I. It was considered as one of the best castles in Spain. The
castle is a turreted structure of plaster and red brick, surrounded by a
deep moat.

Hunyad-Castle

Hunyad Castle was originally built as a fortress in 1212. Many believed
that this castle is exactly the place where Dracula was held as a
prisoner for 7 years after he was overthrown in 1462. The castle is
situated in Hunedoara, Romania.

Malbork-Castle

The Malbork Castle’s construction began in 1275, along the river Nogat.
This castle was made from red brick and became the world’s largest brick
gothic castle. Today, it is well-preserved medieval gothic castle and a museum.

Prague-Castle

Prague Castle is Prague’s premier tourist attraction. It was largest
medieval castle complex in Europe and the ancient seat of Czech kings
throughout the ages.

Eltz Castle

Eltz Castle is a medieval castle stands in the hills above the Moselle
River between Koblenz and Trier, Germany. This castle was still owned by
a branch of the same family (33 generations) that lived there in the
12th century.

Löwenburg Castle

Löwenburg Castle was built around 1800 as a country residence for Count
Wilhelm IX. This castle was intentionally designed to look like a
medieval castle.

Bodiam Castle

Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular castle
located in East Sussex, England. This castle was built in the late 14th
century by a veteran of King Edward III’s wars with France.